


Week 3 - Hot Star Sport

by Hermineuh



Series: KyluxXOXO - 2018 [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Car Racing, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Street Racing, benarmie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 06:02:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15527703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hermineuh/pseuds/Hermineuh
Summary: Ben Organa-Solo, among others, enjoys street racing. It's all fun and games (despite his rivalry with Poe Dameron) until a new contestant shows up: a hot ginger who has a thing for certain cars.





	Week 3 - Hot Star Sport

**Author's Note:**

> For the KyluxXOXO summer fest 2018.  
> The prompt for this ficlet is: Hot - Star - Sport
> 
> This story is totally unrelated to the previous parts of the series. I hope you'll give this a try!   
> (also: I blame Top Gear for the inspiration XD)

Ben took in his surroundings. The usual peeps were present, Phasma with her shiny motorcycle, Rey and her boyfriend Finn with their garbage Dodge Charger, and to Kylo’s utter displeasure: Finn’s boyfriend Poe and his black and orange Austin Mini. Poe Dameron was his main challenger, the only reason why Ben never kept the trophy more than a month, sometimes two when Dameron was away on a business trip. Noticing how tense Dameron’s smile was when he saw Ben, the displeasure was mutual, and being the boss’ son did nothing to help.

Cars and motorcycles were slowly lining up behind his old Shelby GT-500. As the drivers left their vehicles to greet each other, he spotted familiar faces like the baby-cheeked Mitaka and his on and off again boyfriend Thanisson. They raced about three or four times a year, with enough time between each to repair their totaled cars. The worst part was they always crashed at the same spot, over and over again, to the point that it was now a joke between racers. Strangely enough, they always managed to pass the trickiest corner at the old Star Cinema but without fail never went further than Betty’s Burger.

When their eyes met, he waved at them and continued his inspection. Some faces he saw before but didn’t remember the names. As usual, there were newcomers. Only three this time but one in particular caught his eye. As if the setting sun had duplicated itself, a fiery redhead excited a black car that Ben couldn’t identify from such distance. He saw the guy, quite tall, navigate between the vehicles and greet Mitaka then Thanisson. He was wearing a crisp white shirt which clashed with everybody’s outfit, more suited for comfort while driving their car or bike during the race. Ben had seen men like this before. They would show up with their brand new sports car, sometimes Mustangs, sometimes even Porsche, thought it was all about speed and power, then crash and burn at the first curve, and never to be seen again. Taking a glance at the ginger’s car, he couldn’t quite place the type but he was certain it would be something utterly inappropriate, like a Maserati. That would be the dude’s loss, Ben thought. A part of his brain even added that he looked like a typical daddy’s boy, the type who would whine loud enough to his father and receive a Lamborghini as compensation.

Forcing his gaze away from the brat, he finished his inspection. They had more or less fifteen minutes before the test run, which gave ample time for Ben to prepare. Not that he wasn’t ready, but a last minute check was always a good idea.

 

“Evening, Ben,” a familiar voice came behind him.

“Dameron,” Ben greeted him, forcing a smile just as Dameron was forcing his cheerful self around Ben.

“How’s it going, buddy?”

Ben hated that man. Well, hated was a bit strong but he didn’t like him one bit. “All good,” he replied, trying to mute his worse personality. “You? Ready for the race?”

“Ready as I can be!” Dameron gushed. “And ready to win the trophy back!”

Ben gritted his teeth. “Not this time, Dameron. It’s mine for good.”

Dameron let out a loud laugh while giving a strong whack on Ben’s shoulder. “We’ll see about that, buddy. We’ll see.”

 

Before Ben could retort with a snarky remark, Phasma appeared next to him in her towering self.

 

“Ben? You got a minute? There’s someone I want you to meet,” she said with a gentle smile.

“Sure. Best of luck, Dameron,” Ben wished Dameron before following his tall, blond, and too good for him friend. “Thanks,” he whispered in her ear.

“Don’t mention it.”

 

She knew Ben didn’t like Dameron and tried to come to his rescue from time to time. As they slalomed between the cars and motorcycles, Ben realized she was bringing him straight to the redhead. If that man was a friend of Phasma’s, maybe he wouldn’t be so bad.

 

“Ben, this is Armitage Hux. He’s a colleague and friend,” she said, a hand on said-Armitage’s shoulder. Somehow the name sounded familiar.

“Please, call me Hux,” the ginger replied with a calculated smile. “You must be the famous Ben Organa-Solo. Phasma is very found of your driving style, she told me all about it.”

Ben couldn’t help but smile genuinely at that. “I am,” he said while shaking Hux’s delicate hand. “Are you here to race?”

“Yes, and hoping to make it out in one piece,” Hux joked.

“He’s being modest,” Phasma declared. “You should watch out for him, Ben. He’s likely to get the trophy right from under your nose. Or Dameron’s! But I’m not spoiling the surprise for him!” she guffawed. 

Hux made a face but his cheeks grew slightly pink, which, Ben decided, was kind of cute. “Stop it, Phas’, it’s my first time here, there’s no way I can win already.”

Phasma shrugged and kept a confident smile on her lips. Ben really had to be careful about Hux then. “What’s your car?” Ben asked.

“It’s… err…” Hux hesitated. “It’s a DeLorean,” he finally admitted.

“No way!” Ben exclaimed. “Not  _ the  _ DeLorean?”

“Well…”

“You guys have a few more minutes before the warm up, you can check the car out,” Phasma innocently pointed out.

 

Without further prompting, Ben followed Hux to the car. It was indeed a DeLorean DMC-12 but painted all black with red stripes here and here, giving her an incredible look.

 

“She’s gorgeous,” Ben whispered in awe.

“Thanks,” Hux replied, visibly proud of his car. “I loved the retro look but with this paint job, she’s ready for the next century.”

“She is. Look at those lines! Did you manage to clean the V6? Getting the horsepower back can be tricky.”

“Here’s the thing,” Hux started, his chest raising as he stood a little straighter. “I got rid of it.”

“What?” Ben frowned. He couldn’t imagine a V10 or even a V8 on such a car. Not without some serious changes.

“It’s full electric!” Hux revealed. “It took a while to get everything right, but I’m close to perfection!” he explained enthusiastically, a wide smile on his lips.

“You can’t be fucking serious?” Ben snorted. As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw Hux’s expression immediately fell. It had been the wrong thing to say but Ben just couldn’t keep his tongue in check. “You got an intemporal beauty and you ruin it just like that? Tell me you didn’t put a fucking electric motor and batteries in her!”

“I certainly did,” Hux said with a deep scowl.

“You know there’s a reason why electric cars don’t race,” Ben mocked. “They’re good can openers and blenders and should stick to it. Nothing can replace a real petrol engine!”

“We’ll see about that. At least my car isn’t some garbage weld together,” Hux retorted, his lips a thin line.

“Say that again and I’ll smash your teeth,” Ben warned, his hands clenched tightly, while ignoring the honks all around them.

“Oh? You didn’t hear? You know wanking makes you deaf, right.”

“I’ll fucking end you!” Ben spat and turned on his heels before he let his emotions run wild.

 

Ben was furious. That ginger asshole had insulted his Shelby, he would not let that slide easily. The amount of time, work, efforts, and debts Ben had put in that car were too important to let a know-it-all humiliate them both. He would show what a real car and a real driver were.

As soon as he reached his Shelby, he put on his hood and helmet. Though the races were illegal, security was no joke and anyone participating would have to be equipped. He then slid behind the wheel and started the engine. As soon as he heard the familiar roar, he felt better. Being in this car was like second nature for him, driving like breathing. Slowly, his ears stopped ringing and his vision focused on the old pick-up in front of him.

One minute later, all cars were following his uncle’s truck at the slowest pace. They all had to drive around the circuit once before the race could start. Because of the tricky bends, it was easy for newcomers to get lost and it could end in a disaster. It had already happened when his dad was his age, so the tradition had been kept.

Once the tour done and the truck out of the way, Ben took his place: first, as winner of the previous race. Next to him but five meters behind was Dameron. Third was Rey, fourth was Phasma, fifth was Rose, and at the far end with the other newcomers: the ginger asshole. All motors were roaring, the noise almost unbearable if it wasn’t for their helmets. Ben’s right foot was on the gas throttle, forcing the engine to four-thousands rpm. The Shelby swayed from the sheer torque of it. Ben loved that moment, a thrill so intense before the race even started that his heart was hammering in his chest.

On an old stepladder that must have been at the same place for the past twenty years, his uncle Chewie was holding the race flag, which was a ratty Captain America t-shirt attached to a wooden stick. He waved it high above his head for a few seconds before throwing his arm down, signaling the start of the race.

Thanks to his good reflexes and muscle memory, Ben released the brakes and managed to launch his Shelby almost immediately. From that moment on, nothing else existed but the circuit. First a straight line, allowing him to use the full power of his engine and gain precious meters ahead of Dameron. Rey was a serious contestant but she wasn’t as good as Chandrilla’s best retired pilot. Ben had to give him this: Dameron was that good of a pilot.

All too soon, he reached the first bend, which he took wide. He saw Dameron tailing him. As soon as he was out of the curve, he pressed the throttle hard and went into Alderaan avenue, shortly followed by Target’s old parking lot. This part wasn’t difficult but it required to know exactly where the dents and holes on the tard road were and more importantly, to avoid all gravel, cobblestones and enormous piles of trash that had been left there since the uprising thirty years ago. Nobody ever cleaned that part of town. Everyone’s heart was just too heavy with the memory of those who lost their lives to fight for the country’s freedom.

Ben avoided a streetlamp, then turned right on the abandoned greenish couch which was his favorite route. It allowed him to avoid several potholes on the main path. He just needed to be a bit more vigilant while avoiding stray objects. Since most drivers would continue on the main passage, it lessened the risk of bumping into each other. But of course Dameron was right behind him, followed by Phasma. To his surprise, there was another car that tailed Phasma’s bike, but now wasn’t the time to look at who it was, yet it look suspiciously like a DeLorean.

Focusing back on the road, he swerved to the left on Tatooine lane and swore out loud. Rey had almost crashed into him before straightening and trying to pass Ben on his left. On his right Dameron was getting closer by the second. Fortunately, the three speed bumps managed to get rid of Rey. The way she strayed suddenly was a teller of a flat tire at best, broken axis at worst. Ben felt his Shelby shake after passing each bump but luckily it held together. To his surprise, Phasma took them all over on the pavement, which was a serious asset for motorcycles but was the first time she used that path.

Another advantage for Phasma was the truck half on the street, half on the pavement. While the cars had no choice but to turn around it, bikes could cut right through a bin and the old tailor’s shop. Using all his skills, Ben made a controlled drift in a cloud of dust. As soon as he was out, he pushed hard to gain precious meters over Dameron. The line was straight for a little while and everybody used it to gain speed. However, at the end of the road was the infamous Star Cinema with its large and tall post supporting their banner: a yellow shooting star with red neons for its tail. As the rest of the area, it was abandoned and no electricity reached the sign. Yet, it still stood, proud and undefeated.

Ben knew the circuit like the back of his hand. He also knew what his Shelby was capable of. He waited just the last minute before hitting hard on the brakes. Dameron had to decelerate way before and the other contestants either slowed down too much or not enough to go around the post. Usually not enough. Though the ones who did have never done it twice.

Suddenly, on his left, Hux’s DeLorean shot past him like a cannon shot, going much faster than Ben would ever dare.

 

“Hux!” Ben shouted as he followed the car.

 

It all happened too fast for Ben or even Dameron to do anything. The DeLorean slowed down but not enough. Then Hux managed to start a drift to take the turn and for a split second, Ben thought everything would be alright. That’s when it all went to hell. Too much throttle. The car went in oversteer. Horrified, Ben witnessed how the rear rotated to a full spin. The sheer torque brought the whole DeLorean to crash on the Star Cinema’s ten meters tall pole which started to bend then collapsed in the middle of the circuit. It took Ben about a millisecond to react and as he steered the wheel as hard as he could, barely managed to avoid the top of the star sign.

Not stopping nor slowing down as it was against the rules and would cause more problems, Ben continued the race but his eyes were on the interior mirror. He didn’t see Hux go out of the car and he was almost sure there was smoke coming from under the bonnet. He wanted to stop and see if Hux was doing alright so badly but he couldn’t. He knew there would be consequences if he did. Plus, Finn and Chewie were following the race closely. They would reach Hux in time to help him out and bring him to a hospital if he was injured.

 

“Please don’t be dead, asshole,” he whispered before forcing his eyes back on the road.

 

The last leg of the race went by fast but Ben’s mind was elsewhere, too shaken by what had happened to Hux. There had been some serious injuries over the years but for the most part it was only twisted metal and a good fright. This incident however, was something else.

Dameron won the race but Ben didn’t even really care. As soon as he crossed the line, he parked at his usual place, ignored Dameron’s cheering and rushed to his uncle who was assisting Finn with the last contestants.

 

“How is he?” Ben asked, helmet still in place.

“Helmet, Ben,” his gruff uncle replied.

“Chewie! How is Hux!” Ben shouted after opening his helmet’s visor.

“He’s fine. He’s over there.”

 

Ben followed the direction and felt immediately relief when he saw Hux sitting in the back of the pick-up truck. He rushed toward him.

 

“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” he barked. “Did you see how fast you were? You could have died! Has nobody ever told you how to take a fucking curve?” He froze when Hux rose his head. There was a red streak from Hux’s hairline to his jaw. Some drops were even visible on his shirt. “Fucking… let’s get you to the hospital.”

Ben reached for Hux’s arm but Hux sweeped his hand. “I’m fine,” he grumbled. “Actually I was fine until you decided to drill my eardrums and give me a headache.”

“You’re not fine, you’re bleeding!”

“Get that thing off your head, you’re scream-mumbling,” Hux said, his hand still held in front of him to stop any other attempt to get him up.

Ben promptly removed his helmet and hood. “Let’s get you checked out, okay? A bleeding is never a good thing,” Ben tried to bargain.

“I’ll go tomorrow if I don’t feel good. Now I’m alright.”

“But --”

“No. Now I just want my car back.”

The DeLorean wasn’t to be seen. It must have stayed under the pole. “We’ll help you out. Rey has a tow-truck and she can fix almost anything if you ask her.”

Hux gave a little smile. “Thanks, I appreciate it. And thank you for not screaming anymore.”

“I’m restraining myself,” Ben chuckled. “You banged pretty hard over there. Anything salvageable, you think?”

“Nothing I can’t fix within a month, given time and the adequate equipment,” Hux assured.

“Oh? Already planning on the next race?” Ben wondered.

“Had I not crashed, I would have kicked your ass, Ben,” Hux said with a mischievous smile.

“Ah! We’ll see about that,” Ben laughed. “First, let’s congratulate Dameron, then let’s get your car.”

“Sounds good.”

 

Ben helped Hux down from the pick-up and handed him his hood to get rid of the dried blood.

 

(***)

 

“Starkiller!” Dameron greeted Hux with open arms.

 

Hux shot a side glance at Ben who shrugged. Destroying the Star Cinema pole was Hux’s doing. Thanks to him, the circuit had been altered, which was a first in almost ten years.

 

“Should I get used to that nickname?” Hux asked after greeting Dameron.

“Absolutely,” Phasma retorted then gave him a quick hug.

 

Ben stayed just a step behind, not really one for hugging or unnecessary touching, even if they were his friends. He waved at those who greeted him then patiently waited for the trophy to reach him.

After ten minutes of following Hux around, watching as he chatted with each and every contestant, he grew tired of that much socialization. He had soon realized that Hux was great at it. He had something to say to everybody, a compliment or a joke for every single person he ever met. He had been envious at first, but when Hux admitted it was something his father had drilled into him, forcing him to build a network, he felt rather sorry for him.

Once he spotted the trophy, he made a beeline for it. There were less drivers this month, all thanks to Hux’s little stunt, a lot of crashes happened. Nothing serious, thankfully, but enough for some to pass on that race and wait for the one next month. Which was why the trophy’s bowl was only half full.

He grabbed the pen and notepad Finn was handing him and started scribbling what he would offer to the winner. Each participant had to give something, whether time to help with taxes, mow the lawn or simply a homemade pie. It was an offering of their own choosing and Finn was the one reviewing them to ensure nobody would give something too expensive or too cheap. He remembered a story his father told him about one guy that kept coming but always gave the cheapest stuff ever despite being filthy rich. Story was that Leia got so fed up with him that she went berserk and destroyed him. Strangely, neither his father nor his mother really explained how exactly she destroyed him. “Snoke gone up in smoke,” Han used to say, making Leia chuckle.

 

“What are you offering?” Hux asked, peering over his shoulder. Without answering, Ben showed him the note. “The whole shebang,” Hux read. “Dinner, movie, and a bj.” He looked up at Ben. “Bj? Blow jow? You can’t be fucking serious!”

“You can bet your ass I am,” Ben assured. He had started to think about what to write two weeks after the last race. He had decided on the dinner and movie but once he had seen the repair on the DeLorean and the improvements Hux had done, he had known what to add, so sure that he was that Hux would win.

“Huh, he’s right, Ben,” Finn pointed out, having followed the whole conversation. “You can’t write that.”

“Nah, I’m gonna leave it as it is.” Before Finn could protest further, he added “It’s either Dameron or I who’ll win. Do you really think your own boyfriend will cash the last part in?”

“No,” Finn admitted. “But imagine if Phasma or Rey wins?” When Ben raised an eyebrow, knowing very well none of them would be interested in that, Finn insisted. “Yeah, but what if Starkiller wins?”

“I’m actually counting on it,” Ben divulged while looking straight at Hux.

“Jeez, I’m out!”

 

Hux and Ben watched Finn trott toward Chewie, shaking his head.

 

“Ben, really?”

“Yep, what did you write?”

“That’s for you to see if you win,” Hux replied, his voice lower, making Ben gasp.

“Well, now we’re stuck,” Ben told with a too serious face that already made Hux chuckle, knowing already what Ben would say. “I wanted you to win, but now I’m not going to let that happen.”

“I’ll win,” Hux affirmed. “Fair and square.”

“Hmm…”

“Come on, let’s get the cars in place,” Hux advised when Chewie’s old pick-up honked.

“Give me a good luck kiss first,” Ben asked, snaking his hands around Hux’s waist.

“Oh, you’re ready to make this official?”

Ben shrugged. “Anything for you, Armie,” he whispered against Hux’s lips.

“Silly boy.”

 

~ FIN ~

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this little story. Let me know <3


End file.
